Play Your Part, Yami
by DarthAnimus
Summary: AU - PYP4: The gang's last year of high school is coming to a close and the friends are about to embark on the most difficult chapter of their lives that has nothing to do with entering university. KJ YYY BR MM
1. Deepest Darkness

**Play Your Part, Yami**

**Chapter 1**

**Deepest Darkness**

It had been just a routine evening. I had not been doing anything more than regular patrolling to keep an eye on anyone trying anything on the gang's territory. The biggest problem was that _one_ rival gang, the Golden Eye. Rumours had it that they had been increasing their activities, so the Boss had told everyone to increase patrols. It was extremely important that we held onto our territory, especially with the project we currently had going on.

Still, despite the constant tension in the air inside the city, there was nothing out of ordinary going on that evening. I had not been expecting anything to happen, or to run into anyone suspicious. That was probably why I was completely unprepared for it when I spotted a human figure in the slight darkness left between a pair of streetlights.

There were not supposed to be anyone around this part of the city. There was nothing in this vicinity except abandoned buildings that had been claimed by the gang. The buildings mostly consisted of apartment buildings that were too old and damaged to be inhabitable. There was also an old garage within the cluster of buildings, the place that held one of our bases of operations. That was why I was so worried to find someone wandering the neighbourhood. If the person ended up belonging to our rival gang or would contact the police, it could jeopardise our operation and cost us one of our most productive stations.

Silently I started to approach the figure, keeping myself out of the glare of the streetlights. As I neared on the shadowy person, I started to make out some of the wanderer's features. The broad shoulders and muscled chest gave away the other's sex to be male and the tall figure looked even larger with the way his hair rose high up in spikes.

All tension left me when I came to the conclusion that the guy was nothing more than some punk would-be-rocker who had simply wandered too far away from one of the clubs. There were a few close by and the idiot was apparently too drunk to know that his house was _not_ this way. I supposed it should not take too long to lead the guy out of the vicinity.

I was only a few meters away from the man when I finally realized that he did not seem like the average drunk. His posture was far too good for him to be completely intoxicated. I slipped my hand to my belt, checking that I had my knife at ready if I ended up needing it. Only once I was certain that I was armed, I walked the rest of the distance to reach the man. The other had his back to me, so I assumed he had not noticed me yet, and I reached out to grasp his shoulder.

My fingers might have touched the other before I fell, but later on I could not be too sure. It might as well have been that the blow landed to the back of my head before my hand had made it halfway. The one thing I am certain of and can remember clearly is that I was trying to grab the loiterer when a sharp pain struck at my head. And when I woke up the pain exploded into a burning ache.

A groan passed my lips as I opened my eyes to see nothing but darkness. I immediately knew that I was not in the same place where I had lost my consciousness, since such impenetrable darkness could not be found on the streets where there was always even a small source of light. Not to mention I felt the hardness of a wooden chair supporting my body in a sitting position and the tight grip of rope on my wrists kept me from moving my arms.

"I would suggest you don't fight the bindings," a voice spoke out from the darkness and I jumped before trying to peer into the direction it had come from. I naturally saw nothing and the voice continued: "It's a long way down if something breaks." And with those words I realized that there was neither ground nor floor underneath my feet, like the chair had been suspended on air. I rocked a bit experimentally and the whole contraption rocked with me. I immediately stopped moving.

"What the hell is this?" I snapped at the person in front of me. "What's the big idea?"

"We want information", the voice spoke out calmly, coldly. "You're going to provide it for us."

The snort that came out of me was a natural reaction to such a ridiculous assumption.

"I don't think so", I said. There was no way I would betray my gang. I would never get away with it.

The person hidden I shadows laughed. It was more than a snort; it was a deep chuckle, as if the person was actually amused. Another laugh came from a bit to the left as well, this one having a high pitch of near hysteria to it. I wondered what joke I was missing out on.

"You sound as if you have a choice on the matter", a new voice spoke with the same pitch the second laugh had had. He laughed again. "You don't, really."

"What is your name?" the first voice asked and I shook my head before snapping: "I'm not answering any of your questions."

Silence followed my statement. Then there was a click and a lamp was turned off. It was a table lamp set on top of a table that was hanging in the air between my chair and the one in front of me. There was a young man sitting in that chair, physically lithe but with the most frightening deep red eyes I had ever seen. I glanced around to see that the light of the lamp did not show me the floor or how high up I was. I also saw the other person. He was the same person I had approached on the street before I had been knocked unconscious. His wild platinum blond hair was matched almost perfectly by the other person's multi-colored hair that was styled in the same way, only in a slightly more orderly manner. I was certain these two were partners in what they did, the way their physical structure seemed to complete each other and how they seemed very similar in the barely-there lighting.

"Do you know who we are?" the blond asked and I made the mistake of looking right into his murky blue eyes. It was like looking right into the sea; the eyes were deep and were completely devoid of light. The eyes were also just as cold. Still, the person did not look familiar. Neither did his red-eyed partner. I would remember if I had ever run into a pair like them.

"Me", the red-eyed one spoke and I turned my attention back to him. The crimson eyes were trained on me intensely as the other leaned a bit closer and spoke quietly, almost in a whisper: "I am known as the Game Master."

Game Master. He was known as the Ultimate Gambler who betted on lives. It was a big claim, to take that name and actually use it. It would actually be a stupid move to make, if the real Game Master was ever to find out. I did not think there was anyone stupid enough to try it.

"Still not convinced to talk?" the Game Master murmured softly, a smirk coming to his lips. "Then I guess you aren't much use." The other leaned back in his chair, seemingly not worried about it falling. "But, anyone can make for an opponent of the game is simple enough." He paused. "So let's play."

"What's the game?" I asked suspiciously. The real Game Master always played specific types of games. I wondered if this impostor would go so far…

"Twenty one", the crimson-eyed youth answered and I noticed he was playing with a deck of cards that I did not even see him take out. "Marik will be the dealer." So that was what the bigger guy was doing up here. "You win and you can go and we won't follow." The cards were handed over to the platinum blond, who began shuffling them with vigour in my clear sight. "You lose and…well, I'm sure the penalty game will be more than enough."

"Penalty game?" I queried as I watched 'Marik' shuffle the cards so more.

"One loss, one rope will be cut", the Game Master murmured. "Two losses and two ropes will be cut." I shot a quick look at the red-eyed man, who did not look like he was joking the slightest. From the corner of my eye I saw Marik place the card deck on the table and the Game Master spoke his next words to his partner. "Tie me up, Marik." He smirked at my incredulous look as Marik did as he was told. "I will fall before all the ropes are cut if I'm not attached to the chair." The crimson eyes shone with a dangerous glint. "We will both have the same chances to get out of this."

Those words and the conviction behind them made me wonder for the first time if this perhaps was the real Game Master. But, there was no telling that Marik would really drop his partner to his death. I shot a look at the face of the person in question and noted the manic grin on the other's face.

"Would you kill your partner?" I asked him and Marik looked at me in surprise before chuckling and answering easily: "If he's stupid enough to bet his life, then hell yeah." He smirked and settled properly into his own seat, one much properly hung up than mine or the Game Master's. "Ready?"

"Ready", the Game Master replied and I mumbled an agreeing reply. "You go first", I told the Game Master, who actually looked surprised before his smirk settled onto his face again. But I knew I had caught him off guard. It was a small victory.

"Hit me, Marik", the Game Master told the platinum blonde. The other followed the instructions and slapped a Queen onto the table. The Game Master looked at it once before speaking: "Hit me again." A King.

Before I even had a chance to realize that I had won the first round, Marik had already cut one of the four ropes holding the Game Master up and the other dropped a bit sideways. And yet the other smirked as he spoke to me: "Your turn."

I steeled my expression before speaking out to the dealer: "Hit me." A card landed on the table. I noticed that the cards the Game Master had played were removed from the deck and I was relieved. That meant a little less of a chance to get a too high card. My card was a nine. "Hit me." A Queen. Twenty one. I smirked as Marik cut another one of the Game Master's ropes and the other's chair tilted forward. "Your turn." This was going to be an easy win.

"Hit me", and Marik did. A three was revealed. "Hit me." Five. "Hit me." A Jack. "Hold it." The Game Master had nineteen.

"Hit me." An eight. "Hit me." A six. "Hit me." A five. "Hit me." I felt sweat run down my neck and hoped I could scratch at the itch that had developed on my nose as I contemplated if I should chance another draw. "Hold it." No use risking it now, I was on even ground with the Game Master. I shot my opponent a look and he smirked. He still smirked despite his weak position against me.

During the next round Marik dealt me a seven, a two and a ten. That made my number nineteen and I decided to let it stay that way.

The Game Master got a King and a six. He was even with me and I thought he was going to leave it at that. But then he smirked at me, that frightening smirk of his, and told Marik to hit him again. A two. Twenty one, and Marik cut the first of my ropes. That also started me off feeling _really_ nervous as it became obvious that Marik was not the only insane one in the duo.

The Game Master' next cards turned out to be an Ace, a King and a four. Together they made eighteen. I got a Queen and a five and I realized that under or over, I would lose, and I risked it. A ten. And my second rope was severed.

"What do you say we kick things up a notch?" the Game Master spoke then and I looked over at him and that accursed smirk I was starting to believe was a symptom of whatever disease his brain had. "We're evened out now. We could quit it with this one round. Two ropes at the price of one win."

It was a frightening suggestion, but not as frightening as the pair's company. I would risk it all at one single draw if it meant getting away from these two lunatics sooner. And so I swallowed, even as my throat felt swollen, and nodded.

"You go first", I managed to throw in and again a peek of surprise broke out of the mess of insanity. Even Marik shot me a look. And that told me that I really did want to let the other go first. That would stop the Game Master from drawing a suicidal move like the one in their would-be-draw. "One draw, smaller card wins." The Game Master paused, but then finally nodded. He gave Marik a meaningful glance. The other drew him a Queen, the last one left in the deck.

"You know", I spoke out, feeling a smirk coming to my own lips. "Since you're about to fall to your death soon, I might as well tell you a few things I'm sure you're curious about." I chuckled briefly. "My boss calls me Bone Eater, because I'm the one who offs all the people he doesn't like. I'm in charge of interrogation and execution. I know all the points in the human body that can kill a person off quickly, and what injuries create the maximum pain without being lethal." I turned to Marik. "Does that answer the question of who I am? Hit me." Nothing sort of a King could make me lose, and there was _one_ of those left in the deck. This game was as good as won.

Marik threw the card onto the table and I felt my breath catch. _What the hell was that card doing in the deck?_

"Joker, fourteen. You lose, Bone Eater", the Game Master murmured smugly and I found my mouth going dry. Marik flipped out his knife and cut one of my remaining two ropes.

"Wait!" I shouted out and the platinum blond actually paused. "You heard who I am! I can tell you everything you want to know about our operation! You want to know what the abandoned garage is used for? We tune bikes there!"

"Interesting…" the Game Master murmured and now I knew for sure he was the real thing. "What on earth for?"

"We need money if we're going to start on big operations!" I hurried to explain. "So we've been stealing bikes and exchanging the parts so that they won't be recognized."

A sound came from Marik, one filled with contempt and the Game Master's face also held a patronizing look.

"Pitiful", the Game Master spoke with disgust. "The only thing worse is you."

The words took a moment to register. By the time they did Marik was already slicing my last remaining rope.

"NO!" I bellowed desperately. "I told you what you wanted to know! You can't do this!"

"You forget, Bone Eater", the Game Master spoke softly. "Your information was never a part of the game." The crimson eyes regarded him in boredom. "You are the loser, you were the moment we begun." The lips turned back into a smirk and I knew then that they were not going to let me go. "Penalty time."

A movement from Marik and I was falling into the darkness, screaming all the while before I hit the floor.

&

"Weak minded, that Bone Eater", Yami murmured as he kicked the wooden chair that still held the gangster in question. The other had passed out from terror when the last of his ropes had been cut, never finding out that the supposed 'drop' was only about three meters.

"Pathetic", Marik snarled as Yami started to make his way out of the hall they had been using. "Oh, man, the idiot actually soiled himself!" Marik's voice carried from the darkness and Yami rolled his eyes.

"Let's get going, Marik", he told the other. "Someone might have heard the scream."

"Right, right", Marik murmured and the reason Yami even heard the grumble was because Marik had appeared beside him almost immediately after Yami had told him to get moving. "What's go you so bothered?"

"It's nothing", Yami answered easily, a well rehearsed reply whenever the platinum blond queried about his thoughts. He did not think his companion would understand, not these new ideas he had been having. He could not help but want to let go of this way of living. Of terrorizing others for the sake of nothing more than being feared.

There had to be more to life. There had to be something better, sweeter and brighter. A life in the sun would be so much more beautiful than these nights of horror, so much more _humane._

_**To be continued…**_

Author's Notes: What the hell is this shit? Oh, sorry. I just…I can't believe I actually wrote a CARD GAME into one of my stories. And it was in an AU story no less. I'm so sorry.

Also, you might have figured this out already but I will still say it: this chapter is set before the rest of the series. It's a sneak peek at Yami's life before he moved to Domino.


	2. Feeling Ill

**Play Your Part, Yami**

**Chapter 3**

**Feeling Ill**

"Yami, I've been wondering about something", Yugi spoke and Yami turned his gaze away from the window to regard the smaller male. The pair was currently in Yugi's room, having moved there after finishing watching a movie some time ago. The discussion about the movie had ended when the two had lapsed into a silence that had been broken by Yugi's words.

"What's on your mind, Yugi?" Yami queried and grew even more curious when he saw Yugi fidgeting with the hem of his shirt nervously.

"It's just that…" Yugi started, only to trail off momentarily. "Well, I know how much you like me since you're always telling me just that." The boy's pale cheeks were flushed from embarrassment. "But we haven't really talked about the future." Yugi's face turned more serious. "Tomorrow will be the last day of school and after that we're going to have to start applying for university. I know Kaiba and Jou have talked about it with each other, so why haven't we?"

Yami blinked at the other in surprise, not having realized that Yugi might think about something like that. For him it had never been something to be thought about on a regular basis. The teen might have gone as far as to say that it was against his personality to participate in such ponderings.

"I don't see why we should", Yami spoke out, trying to form his ideas and attitudes into sentences that Yugi could understand while still keeping the reasons behind those notions as his own. "You know I would do anything to stay by you as long as I can." He frowned in thought. "Or maybe you _don't_ know. Are you feeling insecure now that our lives are changing, Yugi?" The crimson-eyed youth gave his boyfriend an encouraging smile. "Don't worry. I'm ready to fight for us, if it's ever needed."

"No, no!" Yugi hurriedly exclaimed, scandalized by the very thought that Yami would doubt his faith. "That's not it at all!" The boy scratched his cheek. "You see, I ehm, I would like it if we had a plan, that's all."

"A plan?" Yami queried with a confused frown. "Life is life, Yugi. It's not planned beforehand. Sometimes things happen that can't be prevented. I don't see why we should try."

Yugi let out a frustrated huff before starting to speak: "I'm not talking about very detailed plans, or anything. I just wish we had _something_ figured out instead of us being completely unprepared. We can't go on living a day at a time when we could end up studying in different cities."

"I hardly think that would happen", Yami said with certainty. "I don't have any plans to apply to any other universities than the one here in Domino."

"It must be great to be that confident in your grades", Yugi murmured with distaste. "What if I end up in some backwater town because my grades weren't good enough for Domino University?"

"And you have too little confidence", Yami scolded the other gently. "I don't think you have anything to worry about." Yugi was not an outstanding student, but he was certainly at least average. Like anyone, Yugi had both strengths and weaknesses in different school subjects and his overall success was higher than Yugi's attitude implied.

"Could you at least humour me and go along with this?" Yugi asked in a strained tone of voice. "It would make me feel better."

"Certainly", Yami conceded with a smile and a nod. "You know I can't resist a reason like that." 'It's for Yugi' was enough of a reason for Yami to try something new no matter how doubtful it seemed to him.

"Good", Yugi said in a pleased manner. "We need to be ready to discuss matters like this for this relationship to last, and I know you want it to last; you've already said so several times."

"Right, right", Yami murmured in agreement. "Communication is a key factor in every relationship and so on." He certainly heard that on television a lot, as well as in those magazines Mazaki always had lying around whenever they visited.

"You talk like you agree with me", Yugi said carefully. "And yet you sound uncertain."

"I do agree with you", Yami insisted. "I simply haven't ever really needed to make any 'future plans' for a relationship before." Or anything else for that matter. "I haven even had a real relationship before this, so I'm new to this."

"Oh, that's fine!" Yugi cheered with a wide grin. "We just need to see which universities offer the subjects we want to study and then look for the options that we could both consider."

"Or we could both just apply for Domino University", Yami said, but quieted down when he saw the glare Yugi sent him. It was better that Yami kept his comments to himself from now on and just did this Yugi's way.

&

Tomorrow would be an important day for Seto. Actually, it would be important for a lot of people, but Seto was fairly certain that his reason differed from the rest of the high school students who were looking forward to the last day of school. For Seto there was nothing all that special about graduating from high school, it was simply another phase of his life passed. The one real meaning graduation had for Seto was to mark how he was growing older, closer to adulthood. The things Seto really worried about, or even thought about, were the future and the things that he could still affect, that he needed to still affect.

The future was something Seto planned for carefully. And tomorrow was going to be an important day for his future, and it was not going to have to do with graduation. No, it had to do with a small box that could fit into his palm that he had been fondling in his hands for a great deal of the day. And that box alone, even with its contents, was not going to determine the future by itself. The most important part was going to be Katsuya's reaction; there were a couple of ways to understand Seto's gift and the brunet was going to go with whatever interpretation Katsuya would choose to use.

However, the one problem with leaving something open for interpretation was that everyone would choose their own way of analysing it. This held through for even those who should be considered outsiders in the matter and therefore had no place in drawing their own conclusions.

It was dinnertime and the whole Kaiba family was sitting together at the large table in the dining room. It was very rare for Kaiba Renji to take the time to dine outside of his office on any time other than on weekends. If Renji joined the rest of the house's inhabitants for dinner it was usually a sure sign of the man having something to discuss or a declaration to make. And that day was Wednesday, so everyone was on their guard as soon as dinner was served.

Just as Seto had expected, soon after the foursome had started dining, Renji indeed cleared his throat in a meaningful manner. The other three, having grown accustomed to this opening, turned their attention the head of the family, pausing in their eating.

"There is a matter I would like to discuss with you, Seto", Renji said lowly in a tone of authority. "Concerning your lover."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the predictability his father was displaying, Seto replied sternly: "I'm not growing bored of him, father." He gave the man a level look. "Neither am I going to give up on him no matter how much you press the matter."

"Oh, on the contrary", Renji spoke in a tone that indicated amusement over knowing something the other did not. "I would actually like to request you bring your relationship to a more…credible level."

"Excuse me?" Seto queried, not understanding his father's intentions in the slightest.

"I'm talking about that ring you purchased months ago", Renji said in an exasperated tone. "When are you planning on giving it to that boy?" The man tapped at the table. "People usually sneer at relationships of this sort, Seto. But, as soon as that boy toy of yours is seen with a ring, everyone is going to consider your relationship to be a courageous display of true love."

"Oh, _Seto_!" Laura cooed from across the table and beamed at Seto. "You're going to ask that lovely boy to marry you? _How romantic!_" She clasped her hands together in a display of wonder and awe.

"See what I mean?" Renji commented with amusement evident in his voice, accompanied by an affectionate glance towards the woman, one that Seto caught and was bewildered by.

"Is it true, 'niisama?" Mokuba asked then and Seto turned to his brother. "Are you really going to propose to Katsu-nii?" Seto had to wonder where that nickname for the blond had come from, and who had told Mokuba that it was fine to use it.

"I wouldn't go as far as that", Seto corrected. "There is a ring, yes, but it's not for marriage…" Seto paused to consider for a moment and then quickly turned back to his father with a suspicious glare. "By the way, father, how did you even know that I had bought a ring? Do you keep tabs on me?"

"I'm merely keeping an eye on how much you spend on that boy", Renji replied offhandedly. "It's not like I have anyone following you on your dates. At least let me have this much."

A sigh came from Seto but before the brunet could comment, Mokuba spoke up again: "So it's an engagement ring then?"

"That depends on whether or not Katsuya is ready for that sort of commitment", Seto said sternly, not wanting to hear any objection about that statement. "I'm simply aiming to solidify our relationship before university. I didn't consider the ring anything more than a symbol when I purchased it."

Mokuba was silent for a moment before he nodded his head in understanding.

"I got it", the raven-haired boy said. "You'd better hope that Katsu-nii doesn't think you're proposing, then."

Actually, Seto had not even considered that possibility before. The nervous knots in his stomach suddenly felt a whole lot tighter.

&

There had been a time when Yami had not cared about anything, finding his existence too minor to have any real meaning. The boy had not even cared about living, let alone about planning his future. He had not felt true motivation to do anything at all and could not remember when he had felt so last. The only reason he had even bothered to concentrate on his schoolwork was to keep his parents off his back and avoid undesired interaction with people. He had been living his life in a daze, unable to feel strongly about anything or dedicate himself to personal opinions.

Out of the different methods of escaping reality that the big city offered to a depressed student, Yami had chosen the life in a street gang. However, his new dangerous lifestyle had not worked to dispel the gloom Yami cloaked himself in for good. At first he had been excited, feeling alive for the first time in a while as he rose through the ranks of his gang. But then his nature had caught up with him, destroying the temporary idyll.

Suddenly nothing felt exciting enough for Yami again. The former exhilaration had vanished and Yami had once again been plagued by his old thoughts of meaninglessness. The truth that any day could bring forth his death in the hands of a member of a rival gang had been a small comfort at best and Yami had started to feel the need to help destiny along a bit.

That had been the birth of the Game Master who could bet his life with no fear and come out unscathed. Each victory had brought Yami more fame and the youth became able to rise to positions that had been impossible to reach for him as a mere grunt among the rest.

Yami had expected his new reputation to make him a more desirable target for killers and to make the possibility of death more likely. He had been only partially right. Skilled and well known gangsters had started seeking him out, but not to simply remove him from the picture. No, they had all wanted to challenge the invincible Game Master and try to attain the glory of being the one to finally beat him in one of his own games. Yami had accepted each and every one of those challenges and had triumphed over every single one.

It was at this point in time that Yami had started to accept his role as Fate's favorite chew toy and plaything. He had resigned to spend the rest of his living days as some cosmic puppet master's toy when his life had taken a surprising turn, the first one of its kind in Yami's life. Apparently the fame had been more than just a bad thing, because that very same fame caught the attention of_ her_.

She was beautiful in a manner that managed to pique even Yami's interest. She was captivating, overbearing and, most of all, commanding. Her complexion was utterly dark; her hair was the color of a raven's wings and her skin was dark like chocolate milk. She even dressed in black, the supposedly slimming color doing nothing to hide the shapes and curves of the body that filled her clothes. Wide shoulders and hips, thighs and arms thick with strong muscles and breasts larger than Yami could spread his palm over all seemed to taunt him, to order him to keep his attention on her.

It had not been the first time Yami had seen an attractive body. Yami could have probably ignored the invitations and promises uttered from between thick, full lips if it had not been for one thing; the young woman was not only dark in looks but in personality as well. The woman's physical strength and scheming expression screamed danger that Yami was unable to turn away from. This woman could quite possibly destroy him if he let her, and he wanted her to do just that.

The whole occasion reminded Yami of making a deal with the devil. At the time Yami had actually felt like he was giving his soul to some malevolent supernatural being. And he had gone with the woman, allowed her to lead him into a hotel.

What happened had been dark, frightening, _exhilarating_, and it had left Yami feeling dirty afterwards. He had been on his back, a virgin unsure of what to do with himself, and the woman had orchestrated everything, bringing him to his first awkward release with her wet mouth before rising on top of him and riding him in a frenzy that had Yami shaking with arousal days afterwards whenever he remembered it.

For weeks Yami had imagined the woman's heat and the sick, slick sounds that had been accompanied by slaps of skin against skin. He would cup his hand, like when he had held one of her firm breasts, while his other hand worked to bring him to his release. But it had not been enough to truly satisfy him. It had been one shot of a drug and he had already been hooked.

In the end Yami had sought out the demon and was the one to propose the encounter that time around. The woman had smiled a wicked smile that had told Yami that she had know that she had him and Yami had not cared, because it was all true. Later on Yami would see that the first time with the woman had been like the meeting of eyes over a dance floor. Yami's request on the other hand had been the real invitation to the destructive, disturbing dance that Yami himself had started when he had returned that dark woman's gaze.

_**To be continued…**_

Author's Notes: I'm terribly sorry about taking so long to update. I had a chapter ready earlier, but then I realized that the events needed some build-up for them, so I ended up writing this in a somewhat short amount of time. I would like to say that from now on chapters will come faster, but I can't make such promises as the moment. I have at least half a dozen books to read for university within the next month, which is going to keep me too busy to even _think_ about writing. But, as soon as that's over with, I'm going to have so little schoolwork that I'll be bored, which means more time for my stories. Please bear with me until I can clear my schedule and thanks for hanging on.

Also, the last scene that's a semi-flashback is not as out of place as it seems. It's meant to hint at some things and the more observant ones are probably going to guess what events and revelations are about to come to light.


	3. I Spy

**Play Your Part, Yami**

**Chapter 3**

**I Spy**

The moment the school bell rang to signal the end of the school day, Katsuya jumped up from his seat to hurry over to Seto's desk. There was something very important the blond needed to discuss with his boyfriend. Well, it probably would not seem important to the brunet in question but to Katsuya himself it was extremely important, mostly because of the current date.

"Hi, honey!" Katsuya cheered as he jumped to sit down on top of Seto's desk before the brunet could as much as rise from his seat. "The gang's heading out to town tonight to celebrate the end of the school year. You coming?"

"Sorry, Katsuya, but I have something already arranged for tonight", Seto replied with a small, amused smile. There was something about that expression that had Katsuya wondering what were the reasons behind it.

"You know Bakura's not going to be happy if I come along clubbing without a date", Katsuya sang cheerfully. "He's going to want to be your replacement."

"That won't be a problem", Seto answered with that same serene smile on his face. "You won't be going either."

"Oh?" Katsuya queried and leaned closer to the brunet, who was now smirking. "And who are you to decide what I do with my evenings?" The blond mirrored Seto's smirk with one of his own. "I'm the one who calls the shots here, _honey_." Because, really, Seto was a coddling boyfriend and Katsuya knew just how to be coddle-able.

"Remind me to spank you when we get to my apartment", Seto growled out and Katsuya was not sure if the statement was meant to be teasing or threatening. But, the dark tone in the brunet's voice sometimes took had always had an effect on Katsuya and even now the blond shivered slightly and found himself thinking the latter option might not be all that bad.

"But, Katsuya, there is a reason why you will be unable to join your friends tonight", Seto spoke out, breaking Katsuya out of his thoughts, and stood up from his chair. "You will be joining me for a date." The brunet grabbed his bag. "I will not take no for an answer."

"Oh, goody", Katsuya cheered before jumping down from his seat. "Where are we going?" It had been ages since the two of them had done anything that could be considered having a date.

"Well, since we are considered adults now, I thought we'd go for an adult date", Seto explained before taking Katsuya's hand and leading the way out of the classroom. "I have a table reserved for eight o'clock at the _White Pearl_."

Katsuya had to pause for a moment to consider that. He had heard that name before, and he could even remember when it had come up. So it was with a rather surprised tone that the blond queried: "For how long have you been planning this?"

"Not for long, why do you ask?" came Seto's easy answer, and Katsuya started to explain: "Anzu just talked about that place the other week. They have a waiting list that's _months_ long!"

A chuckle came from Seto, followed by the brunet replying: "I assure you that I made the reservation last week." Katsuya saw his boyfriend look very amused over his disbelief. "Being named Kaiba gives me some small perks, such as being a high priority to establishments such as the White Pearl."

"And here I thought your name was nothing but a pain", Katsuya spoke in amusement. "Now I won't complain until the next time one of your parents disagrees with my style of dress." The blond gave his boyfriend a meaningful look, and Seto grimaced.

"Don't tell me", the brunet grumbled with distaste. "That air headed stepmother of mine sent you another new outfit."

"Bingo", was Katsuya's response and the blond thought back to the outfit in question. "And just so you know, I've already disposed of it." Truly, the clothes would have been a certain hit, if Katsuya was working for a shady industry. Otherwise, the amount of skin revealed by the garments would have been illegal. Katsuya had taken a page out of his father's book in dealing with the offending items, and burned them.

"Hey, Jou!" a voice called as soon as the pair stepped out of the classroom and into the hallway. Katsuya instantly turned to the direction of the shout and saw Honda and Bakura a bit further down the hall, waiting for him. Honda was the one who had called and the brunet had lifted his hand in greeting while Bakura kept his own hands tucked deep within the pockets of his pants.

"Hi, guys!" Katsuya greeted back as he released Seto's hand to thump his fist against Honda's chest. "I thought I told you guys that you didn't have to wait for me."

"It's no problem", Honda assured the blond with a wide grin, while Bakura's nonchalant expression seemed to somehow agree with the statement. "It's not like you took that long, and we wanted to know how things turned out."

"So, how's tonight?" Bakura queried with a bored tone of voice. "Will you two both be coming?"

"Sorry, guys", Katsuya uttered with an apologetic grin at the two. "I won't be able to make it today. Seto has me booked for the evening."

"For what?" Bakura snapped in displeasure. "A private evening romp between you two?"

Katsuya grimaced at the suggestion while he heard Seto chuckle beside him. Honestly, what did the albino think he was doing, using a work like _'romp'_? As if the fact that the other was butting into his and Seto's sex lives wasn't embarrassing enough!

"No way!" Katsuya snarled and poked a finger at the other's forehead. "Not that it's any of your business, but that's _not_ what we have planned." The blond grabbed Seto's arm before finishing: "Seto here is going to spoil me with expensive seafood."

"Ah, a night dedicated to pampering you then? Are you sure your lover boy isn't spoiling you rotten?" Honda spoke with an amused smirk. "Then again, he might just be fattening you up for some strange kink of his." The brunet poked Katsuya's stomach and dodged the blond's retaliating punch with practiced ease.

"Knock it off!" Katsuya snapped, about to lose his patience with his oldest friend's antics. "Next time you imply I'm getting fat, I'm actually going to hurt you. Badly."

"The only thing we're becoming is old if this takes any longer", Seto grumbled and Katsuya felt the brunet's arms come around his waist. "How about you two exchange insults when we don't have places to be?"

"Fine", Katsuya replied with a slow sigh. He gave Honda a warning look. "I'll take care of you later."

The grin Honda gave in response was way too cheerful for someone who had just been threatened, but that was how he and Katsuya worked. It had always been the way they interacted. They could get away with saying and doing things that anyone else would have earned a beating for from the other.

"See you later, Jou!" Honda cheered while Bakura scoffed and with a farewell of his own Katsuya was off with Seto. The two walked out of the school before Katsuya voiced something that had caught his attention.

"Seto", Katsuya started and blue eyes instantly turned to meet his own brown ones. "How long do you intend to hold onto me?"

The arm around Katsuya's waist held the blond more securely for a moment before Seto replied: "As long as I can, dear."

&

"Boss." Dark, wine red eyes lifted from the study of a map to regard the person who had called. The young man standing in the doorway was tall and heavily built, his rock-like physique matching the stony expression on his face perfectly. He stood still and silently until the person with the sinister gaze spoke in a soft and velvety voice: "Yes?"

"The scouts have returned", the man answered swiftly, not hesitating once he had been given permission to speak. The other person stood up from their chair with a fluid movement that sent long and straight raven black hair falling over a leather-covered shoulder. Full lips, painted bright red, quirked slightly upwards at the news. Right on time, that expression spoke before it vanished as the person spoke: "Send them in", the femininity of the dark voice becoming apparent only when speaking a full sentence.

The once again silent man gave a deep bow before leaving the room, and a moment later three men entered the room, each of them just so ordinary and lacking defining features that if you passed them on the street, you could not remember their faces afterwards. They were her perfect spies.

"What do you have for me?" the woman queried, leaning her hands on her desk and fixing the trio with a penetrating gaze. "Have you located Otomya Yami?"

"Yes, he goes to Domino High", one of the men spoke. "We've been watching him closely for over a week and he's always around one particular group of people."

A smirk came across the woman's face, as she thought how smart it was of Yami to gather allies on his side, as if he was expecting them. But, it was also so very _unlike_ Yami. She had never known the other to surround himself with people. On the contrary, Yami tended to avoid the company of everyone who was not Marik.

"What do you know about these people?" the female queried and one of the three men whipped out a pile of photographs that were spread out on top of the desk. They were snapshots of six people in addition to those of Yami. One that caught the woman's attention was a picture of a boy that had a similar hairstyle to Yami but looked a whole deal younger.

"They don't look like powerful allies", the raven-haired woman spoke, picking up a picture with a brunette girl on it. "They look like regular school kids."

"Actually, we've determined that they really are just school kids", one of the men, the one who had brought out the photos, said. "They only do regular student things together, like go to karaoke and arcade and play games in the park."

"_What?_" The word was whispered in an incredulous hiss as the woman glared over the gathered photographs. Why? Why was Yami not only associating with these people but _playing_ with them as well? What had happened to that cold young man she had chased here?

"That is how it appears, Boss", a new voice spoke, belonging to the last of her three informants and the one who had been working for her the longest. "However, there's something very interesting about a few of these people that you should know about."

The dark red eyes turned to the severe face of the informant, prompting the other to continue.

"Not everyone would be aware of this, since they haven't been active members in the circles in a long time, but three of Otomya's new friends were well-known grunts in Hirutani's gang."

She had heard of Hirutani. The man had been efficient with his ruthless way of handling things, but it was very likely that he was mentally unstable as well. The gang had fallen apart a couple of years previously, which was the reason she had been able to move her group into Domino without problems.

"This here is Jounouchi Katsuya", the man lifted a photograph for the woman to inspect. The blond-haired teenager in the picture did not look like an amoral crony. He did not look like any sort of crony with his bright smile that seemed to be full of life. "He was pretty high up in Hirutani's ranks. Some rumours said he was Hirutani's right hand man before things got sour between them. The gang fell apart soon after Jounouchi left, which would suggest that he was the carrying force in many of Hirutani's plans."

"What are his skills?" the woman asked quickly, knowing very well how dangerous it could be for her and her group if Yami had sought out this Jounouchi because of shared interests.

"Apparently he is merely that good in battle", the man answered. "I wouldn't know exactly how good he is, as the rumours that float around are bound to be exaggerated."

The woman clicked her tongue, determining the information useless for all but one point, and that was to not think of the blond as a regular schoolboy. She turned her attention back to her informant and spoke: "And next?"

"Honda Hiroto", the male answered and this time the woman was given a picture of a brunet, who looked at least slightly more formidable than Jounouchi. "He left the gang together with Jounouchi. According to the several sources I was able to gather, they're a team and have been for years. If you mess with one of them, they will both be coming after you for payback."

When the man was silent for a few moments, the woman came to the conclusion that they had covered his information on Honda. So, she queried: "Is there anyone else?"

"One more", the man said and lifted another picture. It was by far the most interesting picture of the three, for the white-haired male was looking straight at the camera, his dark eyes sharp and calculating. "Sariko Bakura."

"I had to run really fast after taking that picture", the middle one of the men piped in, seeming rather shaken. "He seemed to know I was there and he took off after me right after I took the picture. It took me five blocks to shake him off my tail."

"Sariko stayed on the scene longer than Honda or Jounouchi", the previous man started speaking again. "There are some rather recent sightings of him, but his activity has been decreasing for some months now."

He was the one they should be watching out for, the woman decided as she observed the picture some more. He looked very much like a gang member. Actually, he reminded the woman of someone. Someone she had not seen in a while. She would have to send for the person in question as soon as this meeting was over and done with.

"I need you to watch these three some more", she told her informants. "If you can find someone who used to actually know them, I will give you the resources you need for getting the information out of them." She tapped her long nails, painted a dark red, onto the tabletop as she already started plotting. "I will need more personal information." A smirk spread on her lips at the curious expressions on the two newer spies faces. "I want to know their every weakness. After all, why should I destroy Yami's allies when I can used them against him?"

"What you say, goes, Boss", the oldest spy, the appeared self-claimed spokesman of the group, said and each member of the trio bowed before leaving the room. When the three were gone, the previous tall man stepped into the room with a blank expression that still managed to come across as expectant.

"Ushio", the woman spoke in a commanding tone. "I want you to locate Marik. As soon as you do, send him to me." She knew Marik had an odd bond with Yami, so any extended periods of time during which the other could not be located would be reason for suspicion.

"I haven't seen him today, but I will find him", Ushio replied with a bow, after which he left the room. The woman was left alone by the desk that was still covered in photographs. She picked up one that held three people, Yami, Jounouchi and that unnamed boy who held a small resemblance to Yami. There was an air of camaraderie in the picture, Yami's face was flushed with embarrassment, something she had never seen before, while the blond was grinning mischievously and the short look-a-like was smiling softly. Truly adorable, she determined. It was hard to believe that the boy was a high school student.

She sought out another picture with that peculiar boy, coming across one that had him slightly in the background, the one who had taken the picture having focused on Yami instead. But there did not seem to be anything special about the small boy in the picture anyway. The more fascinating part of the picture was indeed Yami, and the expression on his face.

Yami was looking right at the other boy, his expression one of serene calm and fondness. There was adoration in those ruby eyes; Yami felt deep affection for the small teen in front of him, that much was clear. Who was this child to affect the unmovable Yami in such a manner? She had to know, the curiosity was killing him.

"This mystery…" she murmured, her expression gleeful as she watched the picture. "I'm going to be the one to solve it." She could hardly wait to meet this little one with such a sweet face. The excitement over meeting this special person was almost too much to contain. She would have to get started on this case as soon as she had checked up on Marik.

_**To be continued…**_


	4. Red String of Fate

**Play Your Part, Yami**

**Chapter 4**

**Red String of Fate**

The gang started off their evening with a visit to Burger World for something to eat before they would go to a dance club. Honda and Bakura had reasoned that everyone would need the energy to party and Yugi had agreed merely because of his love for fast food. As much as Yami loved his little one, there was no denying it: Yugi would do just about anything for a hamburger.

"It's too bad that Kaiba-kun and Jou-kun couldn't join us", Anzu commented in between bites of her fries. "It feels strange to be out with just the five of us." The girl released a giggle. "Jou-kun is certainly a lively one, since his absence is so easy to notice."

"Don't you worry about those two, Anzu", Honda said with a grin as he leaned back in his seat. "They're happier with it being just the two of them."

"Indeed", Bakura murmured with a slight tone of displeasure. "Those two certainly aren't missing us, so we shouldn't be missing them." That bitter manner of speaking was common for Bakura when talking about Seto and Jounouchi, even though it had certainly grown less so as time went by. Now the degree of snark was close to the one he displayed towards any other romantic coupling in their group. It must have been tiring to be the only one single in the gang.

Of course, Yami did not really know if Bakura was single or not; he could not care less about the other's love life. It was merely an assumption based off of the cynicism Bakura directed towards every relationship he came across. Of course, the attitude might just as well be caused by the fact that Bakura was a jerk.

The conversation went on, but Yami stopped paying attention to it as he glanced around the burger place. There was one pair of girls that caught his attention, dressed in black dresses with flamboyant white frills. Yami always wondered about the strange lines of fashion some girls insisted on following, especially the darker, gothic styles he came across. They always made him feel nostalgic when he was reminded of living in a larger city where such outfits were commonplace.

That was when Yami's gaze swept over one particular girl. He was paying only minor attention and he started when he saw the person looking right at him. There was not anything strange about the staring; Yami often found himself the target of female attention when he was out in town. What disturbed the star-haired youth so much was the fact that the girl was staring at him with red eyes. It was a rare color; Yami had only ever seen one person with that shade of red that was almost as black as her hair. And he could swear the girl noticed him looking back, and she smirked.

Yami quickly turned his head away from the girl, feeling his heartbeat pick up under the influence of a surge of adrenaline. What was that person doing here in Domino? She had no reason to come here. Yami seriously doubted she would go through the trouble of finding him and actually succeed to locate him in a place like this, where he did not even frequently visit.

"Yami, is something wrong?" a voice queried from beside the teen and Yami turned his attention to Yugi, who was looking at him with a worried look. "You looked spooked, and you're really pale."

"It's nothing, Yugi", Yami assured his boyfriend while he chanced a glance to where he had seen the red-eyed female. There was no sight of her; there was a redhead with her back facing them standing in the spot where Yami had spotted the girl. A quick scan of the immediate premises showed no sign of the girl he was looking for; it was very possible that Yami had simply imagined seeing her.

Turning back to Yugi, Yami managed to give a reassuring smile despite still feeling slightly disoriented before saying: "I think I have low blood sugar; I felt a bit nauseous a moment ago." It was a legitimate excuse; Yami really had not eaten much during lunch and Yugi had even commented on it, true to his usual fretting nature.

"In that case we're ordering you the double size", Yugi said with conviction. "And I will hear no complaints from you."

"But you know I hate burgers", Yami tried, really not feeling like eating something he disliked; he was sure he would have already thrown up if he was not so hungry. "The dressing tastes awful."

"You should have thought about that before you neglected to eat a proper lunch", Yugi said with the same sort of authority a fussing mother was able to conjure up with ease and Yami was, for some reason, unable to voice any disagreement. "I will not have you faint while we're supposed to have a night of fun. Fainting boyfriends are not fun."

"Indeed", Honda cut in before Yami could even think about replying to the shorter teen. "We should call a waitress over now and order. We've waited long enough." The brunet turned to keep a look out for any nearing waitresses. One did come by moments later, and after Honda waved the brunette down Bakura leaned over the table to catch the girl's attention and smirked in a rather devious manner before speaking out: "My, aren't you a pretty one. We are truly fortunate to be served by someone like you."

The girl actually squeaked and blushed at Bakura's words and Yami rolled his eyes with a sigh as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. What was it with that girl, falling for the charms of Bakura of all people? Yami pondered about this when his companions made their orders, Yugi taking the liberty of ordering for Yami as well, and came to he conclusion that complete strangers simply did not take Bakura's dangerous-looking face seriously and thought he was little more than the average bad boy they could come across instead of a full-blown whacko.

It was such a regular day, Yami mused as the waitress walked off after taking down their orders, sending a quick wink to Bakura, who smirked in satisfaction. There was truly nothing out of the ordinary with any of his friends; Bakura was messing around with people while Anzu gave him disapproving looks that went completely ignored and Honda was making small talk concerning schoolwork to avoid the two starting a fight with Yugi assisting with excited agreements and additions that would have seemed exaggerated if Yugi was not always so sincerely passionate about everything he did.

The only thing out of ordinary was Yami himself; he was the only one who noticed the strange looming threat in the atmosphere. And it was all because he had looked at that one girl and had seen a demon in her stead. Perhaps he had really seen a resemblance, or maybe he had imagined it completely. That possibility had Yami wonder if he was hallucinating from hunger or if he was slowly going insane form paranoia. He was familiar with the need to constantly being on his guard; he had merely left it behind, allowing himself to grow accustomed to living without the need for such vigilance. It should not have been a surprise that he would see the darkness of the past coming after him. Ever since Marik had come with his warning, Yami had experienced these phases of paranoia, but never before had he actually imagined seeing someone he used to know in Osaka. He wondered if perhaps the easy life he had led here in Domino had actually made him less capable of facing his own past.

A night of fun, Yugi had said. Yami hoped that it was just the thing he needed; something to take his mind off having to face his former partners. Maybe then he would stop seeing that apparition of his greatest mistake as well.

&

Katsuya had been struck with awe when he had walked into theWhite Pearl with his boyfriend. The restaurant was beautiful with the ocean green full-floor carpeting and the large, lit fish tanks cast blue shadows across the floor and the large, tropical fish that swam within said tanks. All the decorations were so over the top that Katsuya was stuck between being amazed or amused by it as he tried to look over as much of the restaurant as he could without being completely obvious about it.

When the couple was led to their table, Katsuya immediately noticed that they were headed to the back of the restaurant and he thought it was really lucky that Seto had gotten them a table out of the way of prying eyes, since the Kaiba heir was certainly a recognizable figure in Domino. But Katsuya realized that the matter did not have all that much to do with luck when they were led out of the main room and into a private room at the back. The restaurant employee said that someone would be along soon to take their orders before leaving the two by themselves.

"You reserved a private booth?" Katsuya queried from Seto as the pair sat down by the small square table that was clearly intended for two. "Is there a specific reason for that?"

"I just thought you would appreciate it", Seto answered with an expression that was a mix of a smile and a smirk. "You like your privacy even more than I do."

"That's true", Katsuya agreed with a nod. "Thank you." The blond frowned in thought. "But wasn't it really expensive to get this table?"

"Only from a certain perspective", Seto replied. "You see, an expensive dinner every now and then is a lot more affordable than showering a female consort with expensive gifts." The brunet rolled his eyes. "Laura certainly is high-maintenance."

Amused laughter threatened to bubble up, turning Katsuya's lips into a smile. But the smile spread further until finally a chuckle broke through, catching Seto's attention and causing the brunet to lift a curious eyebrow.

"I just think it's funny", Katsuya confessed with laughter still in his voice. "You obviously don't have anything against girls; you get along with Anzu fine. But, as soon as the subject is on dating girls, your attitude turns really negative."

"It's like that American saying about men and women being from different planets", Seto said. "To me that difference is very real."

Something about the statement did actually ring a bell within Katsuya's mind. It was something about Mars and Venus, something the blond had probably heard in a movie. He gave the matter some thought and then queried: "You prefer to be with someone who you have more similarities than differences with?"

"It's not about more or less, but rather I want someone who's similar enough", Seto pressed, the slight frown on his face indicating that the brunet was giving the matter some thought. "But not too similar, because that would be boring." Seto gave Katsuya a quirked smile. "You feel the same way, right? You want your partner to understand you, but you don't take understanding for granted."

"I…I guess you're right", Katsuya conceded with a nod. Seto did have a point there. That was the whole reason Katsuya had emphasised the importance of communication to himself when he had first started going out with Seto. The blond had wanted his boyfriend to understand him and his own personal quirks, even if they did not completely agree with each other.

A waiter came to tend to them soon after the discussion and it was only after the two had been presented with their orders that Katsuya started to wonder about the necessity of a private booth. Even though Seto had learned to value privacy in their relationship like Katsuya did, having a private table seemed like a lot of trouble to go through just so that they could dine inconspicuously.

"You know…" Katsuya started once he had finished most of his dish. "Just getting a table at the back of the restaurant would have been enough for us to get to eat in private." The blond frowned at his boyfriend when he noticed the other shift; Seto never made such abrupt movements. "It's enough to make me wonder if you're up to something."

The only response Katsuya got to his statement was one of Seto's typical smirks, only it seemed proud rather than gloating, before the brunet commented: "You're starting to think like me."

"Hn…" Katsuya breathed as his eyebrow rose into a doubtful quirk. "And now I'm _certain_ that something's up here."

"Even if that were the case, you would still have to wait until after dinner until I tell you", Seto said, and now his smirk was clearly smug. "Otherwise the surprise will be ruined."

Katsuya let out an indistinct hum in response to his boyfriend's statement before he continued eating in silence. There was no point in pressing the matter; Seto would not budge in his decision. And it would have been such a waste to let something that was going to be revealed anyway distract him from enjoying the delicious meal in front of him.

Soon enough the various dishes had Katsuya's undivided attention and it was only after he was almost finished with his dessert that he remembered Seto's promise to reveal their reason for being in the back room.

"So, Seto, you gunna tell me why we ate back here now?" Katsuya mumbled around his dessert spoon, earning a brief but fond chuckle from the brunet sitting opposite him. "Whut?"

"You're just so adorable, Katsuya", Seto answered with a smile, causing the blond to blush as he quickly pulled the spoon out of his mouth and spat: "Stop making me feel uncomfortable and tell me what the big secret is!"

"It's right here", Seto answered simply before placing a small box on the table. It was covered in a layer of black satin. It actually looked suspiciously like a jewellery box, a ring box to be exact. Katsuya glowered at the object with distrust before directing the glare at the brunet smirking in amusement at him.

"Open it", Seto prompted and Katsuya snatched the box off the table with an angry huff. Certain that he was going to find some elaborate gag inside Katsuya flipped the box open, only to snap it closed again immediately afterwards.

No way, there was _no way_ Katsuya had seen what he thought he had seen. The blond opened to box again to be certain. There it still was, sitting innocently between the pillows, a silvery ring.

It was not a typical ring, neither encrusted with a jewel nor the kind of smooth band that wedded couples wore. The surface of the ring was uneven and when Katsuya gave it a closer look he realized that the shape had been carved to resemble a chain.

"W-what's this?" Katsuya stuttered, hating the way his voice wavered. Damn it, it was most likely nothing more than a couple ring, or even a prank. There was no point in getting so worked up over it.

"I thought it would be appropriate", Seto started, his tone calm like all the times the brunet would explain something to Katsuya, although this was not just some homework assignment. "We're entering university this fall, so I thought I should give you something to mark our relationship."

"Ah", Katsuya gasped out, face burning from something other than embarrassment. "Okay, here then." He handed the box over to Seto and gave the other his left hand. "Ring me." He wiggled his fingers a bit for emphasis.

Now there was a red color on Seto's cheeks as well, as the brunet pulled the ring out and grabbed Katsuya's hand. Katsuya understood why the usually controlled youth was suddenly so nervous when he saw the hand holding the ring hesitate, as if unsure which finger the ring belonged to. Katsuya felt his lips curve into a gentle smile before he prompted softly: "The ring finger, go ahead."

Seto's gaze snapped up to Katsuya's face momentarily before lowering again. Then Seto placed the finger in place, the gesture somehow full of reverence. As soon as the brunet released him, Katsuya brought his hand close to watch the ring glisten on his finger. He did not want to even begin to contemplate on what kind of expression he was wearing.

"So, what did you think the ring was for?" Seto's voice queried, its tone teasing now that the serious moment had passed. Katsuya immediately jumped at that, blushing an angry red as he hurriedly sputtered: "It's not what you think!"

"And what do you think I'm thinking?" Seto questioned, looking more amused with each moment that passed.

"Not. Marriage!" Katsuya snapped and immediately threw his hands over his mouth, where he felt the cool metal of his new ring, and suddenly that was making him even more embarrassed, and his hands started waving back and forth between his face and lap. When the blond finally managed to calm down enough to look at his boyfriend, he saw that Seto actually looked surprised rather than smug.

"Marriage?" the brunet repeated curiously. "I didn't know you were thinking that far ahead. At the most I was expecting enga-"

"Of course I'm not thinking that far!" Katsuya snapped heatedly. "I've just passed high school, so it wouldn't be something I normally think about!"

"Well, maybe not so", Seto conceded then. "After university we'll be over twenty, so it's rather common for people to start looking during the period they're still studying."

"Well, I don't want to start looking", Katsuya huffed indignantly. "I'm happy with this here, now and…" And the blond trailed off just as he realized what he had been spouting. Damn it, he knew he felt that way about Seto, the unbidden fantasies had been popping up every now and then ever since Seto had confessed to asking out 'Shizuka' while knowing it was really Katsuya but it was way too embarrassing to admit out loud. 'I want to be with you now and forever', was really not something someone his age went around saying lightly. Only, it was not lightly, it was… Why on earth had Seto not made a comment by then?

A quick glance at the brunet told Katsuya all the blond needed to know to understand his boyfriend's silence. Seto was not looking smug or self-satisfied at all. Instead, the brunet's face was flushed a soft red while Katsuya's eyes met an expression of surprise.

"Seto?" Katsuya queried gently. "Are you okay?" It was a very rare occasion indeed when Seto was caught unawares like this. Usually the brunet was unfazed by pretty much anything Katsuya said or did, but the blond had noted that the one way to surprise his boyfriend was to speak sincerely, from his heart.

"Damn it, Seto", Katsuya mumbled, blushing in embarrassment over the way the other's emotions affected him. "You should know how I feel about you by now; it shouldn't have been that surprising a revelation."

Seto jumped in his seat, eyes widening momentarily. Then the brunet's face turned an even darker shade of red as he said: "Right. I will remember your words for future reference."

'Future, he says…' Katsuya thought and shot a glance at the promise ring glistening innocently on his finger. That was a nice thought. The blond's smile widened into a grin and the teen spoke: "You do that. I'll be looking forward to it."

And then, just as Katsuya had expected, Seto's cheeks heated over with a blush. The two shared a fond smile afterwards and Katsuya truly, deeply hoped that he could keep Seto as his own forever.

_**To be continued…**_

Author's Notes: This is just the way I want to write Seto and Katsuya, utterly teasing, goofy and head over heels in love with each other.

And next chapter will be the long-awaited introduction of a new character!


	5. Silver Ring

**Play Your Part, Yami**

**Chapter 5**

**Silver Ring**

Katsuya was still in such a good mood when he got home that he was utterly flabbergasted when instead of reflecting his cheer (it was of the rather contagious sort), his father glowered at him with his arms crossed as soon as they had exchanged greetings.

"What. Is. That?" the man growled out slowly and threateningly and Katsuya blinked in confusion before querying: "What's what?"

"That." Osamu pointed at Katsuya's person. The blond glanced himself over and wondered what his father found wrong with his dress.

"It's a dress a shirt", Katsuya offered, clarifying a moment later: "Seto took me to a fancy restaurant." A thought crossed the blond's mind. "It's not _stained_, is it?" He tried to peer down at the front of his shirt to spot any blotches.

"No!" Osamu's voice roared and Katsuya actually jumped at the loud noise. "I'm talking about the ring, the ring!" The man's face was steadily turning red, and a very threatening dark shade of red at that.

Suddenly Katsuya realized that of _course_ his father would have noted the ring; the man was just that observant when it came to Katsuya's personal life. Just to spite his old man Katsuya conjured up a nonchalant tone as he spoke: "Oh? This?" He lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers in a taunt. "Seto thought it was necessary now that-"

"No!" the man shouted again, cutting Katsuya off in the middle of his explanation. Katsuya glared at the man, not caring about the somewhat heartbroken look on the other's face in his anger. He huffed in frustration before snapping: "What? Now you know for sure our relationship is proper."

"But…" Osamu started, with clearly exaggerated sadness in his voice. "My baby boy is being stolen away!" The man reached out and grasped Katsuya's shoulders, rather painfully actually, as he emphasized his words with a couple of shakes.

"Please, dad", Katsuya whined, really wanting the other to stop making him feel sick from the swaying. Once he had regained possession of his own body he started reassuring his father: "You aren't losing me. Actually, you should see this as something that will make our family bigger." Osamu liked Seto well enough, so certainly the man should not be against his and Seto's relationship getting more serious.

But Osamu's expression was far from joyous. Instead the man looked absolutely murderous as he grumbled threateningly: "I'm going to kill him."

"Huh?" Katsuya uttered with a startled look at his father. What was wrong now?

"I can't believe the nerve of that brat", Osamu said furiously, before pointing at Katsuya. "He knocked you up."

To say that Katsuya was not impressed with his father's latest idea would have been the understatement of the century. He was certain this was apparent in his expression and tone as he spoke in a condescending manner: "Dad, do I need to tell you about the birds and the bees?"

"Hey, it's a crazy world out there", Osamu defended his view. "Anything can happen nowadays." The worst thing about hearing his father say these things, Katsuya mused, was the fact that the man did not sound like he was joking but was very serious about this.

"I still think that your 'anything' doesn't mean unexplainable changes in the human anatomy", was Katsuya's deadpan response. And to think he was supposed to be related to this guy…

Now Osamu looked a bit less insane as he gave Katsuya a critical glance over and asked: "So you're not pregnant?" Judging from the intense way the man was eying Katsuya's abdomen, it was clear that he expected to suddenly see some sort of sign of Katsuya being expecting.

"No", Katsuya said coldly, not in the mood to even play along just to drive his father up a wall no matter how amusing that should have been. Osamu simply shrugged in response, appearing nonchalant as he spoke: "Oh, that's a pity."

"Make up your mind already!" Katsuya exclaimed heatedly. He then sighed and mumbled: "I need you to stop being an ass and get serious. There's something I want to talk about."

"Sure", Osamu said, leading Katsuya over to the kitchen where they sat on opposite sides of the table. "What's up?" the man queried, his voice and expression both schoolbook examples of what a supportive and concerned father was supposed to look like. But that did not make discussing the topic in question any easier. Still, the blond had to try and he knew his father would be the one person whose support and advice he could count on.

"Dad", Katsuya started hesitantly, wringing his hands together. "I…I want to marry Seto."

"That's only to be expected", Osamu answered simply and Katsuya shot him a glare.

"No, dad, it's not", the teen growled in a low tone. "You're completely missing the point."

"Then how about showing me where the point is? You're once again talking in a manner that only makes sense in your own head", Osamu prompted and Katsuya hissed in a displeased manner before speaking out: "I _love_ him, dad. I love him so fucking much."

Osamu's expression was certainly not amused, but the reason for that was not revealed to be the one Katsuya expected when the man snapped: "Watch your mouth."

"There's no other way to say it!" Katsuya exclaimed in frustration. "Sometimes, when I look at him, I get this feeling like I'm going to tear apart, because I want to stay with him forever and never be apart. And that…I can't _handle _that. It makes me want to punch myself and say 'stop it', and it makes me want to punch _him_ for making me feel this way around him."

The man watched Katsuya in silence for a few moments, thinking his words over, and then finally queried: "What's so bad about loving him, then?"

"Ha?" Katsuya was caught off guard for a moment by the question. The blond recovered quickly, though and was able to answer: "Ah, I suppose I just… I get scared because of it." He lowered his gaze to the tabletop, his insecurity twisting in his stomach. "What if he leaves me? What if he stops loving me at some point and all I'll have left is this terrible _need_ to be with him?" He started trailing random shapes on the table with his fingertip. "I…I don't have that many traits worth loving."

A sigh came from Osamu, followed by the man murmuring: "You stupid boy."

"Hey!" Katsuya shouted out indignantly, but was stopped from saying more when his father lifted a hand to silence him.

"You've been spending a lot of time around Seto-kun", Osamu said in an even tone. "Tell me about the things that drive you up the wall about him."

"Um…sure, even if I don't see the point", Katsuya conceded after a moment of stunned silence. "He's really competitive; he always has to win and actually starts moping if he loses at something. He loves being right and almost never admits to being wrong." The blond felt himself gain steam, never actually having gotten a chance to rant like this, and carried on: "He's a real control freak too. Everything has to be in the _exact_ right position or he won't be satisfied."

There was an amused expression on Osamu's face, Katsuya noted briefly, followed by the man asking: "And what do you do when Seto-kun gets on one of his control-moods?"

It should have been an easy question to answer ('I want to smack him upside the head!') but Katsuya actually gave it a bit of thought first before speaking: "I guess I'm somewhat annoyed at first, but then it suddenly goes away and I just smile and I think: 'This is my man.'" The blond frowned to himself. "Why? Why do I feel like that?"

Osamu was smiling gently at Katsuya. "That's what a loving relationship with someone is all about: finding out about all of the other's bad traits and getting accustomed to them." The man then reached out to ruffle Katsuya's hair. "You're a good kid, Katsuya. I'm a proud father."

Katsuya felt his cheeks begin to burn as he murmured in embarrassment: "Thanks dad."

A companionable silence settled between the pair, finally broken by the older male standing up from his seat while saying: "And now it's about time I started making calls."

"Huh? For what?" Katsuya asked curiously. There was no big occasion that he knew about.

"To brag to everyone about your engagement, of course", Osamu said brightly, face split into a wide and happy grin. "Emiko will be green with envy for sure." This last bit was said almost giddily, and that was something Katsuya really did not want to witness from his father ever again. But wait, did the man just say…

"E-engagement?" Katsuya repeated incredulously, but he did not have time to stick to that part when the latter sentence registered in his mind. "You're calling Aunt Emiko? No way, dad, that call would cost a fortune."

"But news like these have to be told as closely to in person as possible", Osamu argued, rather petulantly actually.

"Forget it", Katsuya pressed on insistently. "You just want to laugh and rub it in aunt's face. That's no excuse for an expensive international call."

"I should be allowed to call where I want to", Osamu insisted. "I'm the one who pays the phone bill after all."

"No, dad", Katsuya said slowly, pressing the words to get the message across. Then he stood up from his own seat. "Stay away from the house phone while I make a call." He gave the man a pointed glare. "A call within Japan's borders."

&

When Seto entered the mansion after his date with Katsuya, there was no one in sight. The brunet was fully intent on reaching his room and locking the door before any of his family members could corner him for a thorough questioning about his date and the fate of the ring. These plans were quickly forgotten about, however, when Seto passed by the living room doorway and heard someone call for him from the room: "Hey Seto!"

The brunet stopped in his walking and looked curiously into the living room, all the while murmuring incredulously: "Ryou?" Upon noticing that it really was his cousin currently standing up from the couch, Seto started to walk over. "What are you doing here?"

"I came by to tell you that I'll be moving in tomorrow instead of just showing up at your apartment with all of my stuff", Ryou said with a smile, offering his hand to Seto in greeting. Seto reached back and their hands brushed, the connection not quite qualifying as a handshake. The gesture was fleeting, easily overlooked, but filled with affection no one else could see. Ryou's eyes flashed in a friendly manner and the white-haired youth added: "Plus, I really wanted to meet your boyfriend."

These were good news, since now that Ryou was here Seto could finally move into his own apartment full time. Up until then the brunet had been living in and out of his father's house, since his family insisted that he should not move out completely before there was someone there to keep him company. Apparently cooping himself up and playing hermit was 'unhealthy'.

"Katsuya and I will actually be going out with our friends tomorrow", Seto informed the other teen. "You can accompany us and get acquainted with everyone."

If Ryou was planning on responding, it was interrupted when Seto's cell phone suddenly started to ring. The brunet pulled the item out of his pocked with a groan, but as soon as he saw the name flashing on the screen his mood brightened and he immediately answered.

"Don't tell me you're missing me already, Katsuya", Seto crooned teasingly and smirked when he heard his boyfriend huff on the other end.

"Hello to you too, jerkass", Katsuya grumbled with distaste. "I just called to tell you that we're now officially engaged." Suddenly the blond's voice sounded fainter, like he was shouting at someone on his end. "Dad! Put that phone down right now!" Seto heard the other sigh, followed by Katsuya's voice coming clearly again: "Sorry, I gotta go. Dad's gotten it into his head that it would be a good idea to call to Egypt on the house phone." There was a pause, as the blond hesitated over something, and then Katsuya's voice murmured gently: "Love ya." And with that the call ended and Seto was left staring at the apparatus in wonder as he tried to grasp what Katsuya had just told him.

"Hey Seto, you okay?" Ryou's worried voice called and Seto turned to the other, staying silent for a moment before uttering out: "I'm engaged." And it felt _good_ to say that.

Ryou looked slightly upset at the news as he queried: "And you never told me?"

"I just found out myself, actually", Seto confessed and released a short laugh. He felt strangely light.

"'Niisama, you're home", Mokuba cheered from the doorway and Seto turned around to face the raven-haired boy. "What's with the weird expression? You look really creepy." And with those words Seto realized that he was smiling and also completely unable to stop himself from doing it.

Ryou laughed then, walking up beside Seto and speaking out: "Your brother's just happy, though I have to admit it doesn't quite look like what one would expect."

That was when Renji and Laura arrived in the living room as well, and Seto silently cursed his luck. The elder Kaiba did not waste any time getting to the point. "So, how did your evening go?"

"You mean, what's my relationship status", Seto corrected and Renji did not falter in the slightest as he spoke: "Mostly, yes."

"Katsuya has agreed to an engagement." Such an impersonal way of saying it, but the more emotional response had already been given to those who would appreciate it more.

There was a brief silence as Renji digested the words, then: "Marvellous, better than I had expected."

As if that was the cue to speak up, Laura clasped her hands together enthusiastically and squealed in a manner that actually seemed to be sincere: "Oh, that's _wonderful_, Seto!" The woman was beaming like it was her own child getting married and Seto's stomach twisted strangely at the sight.

"Way to go, 'niisama!" Mokuba cheered excitedly. "I knew he was the one, even before I knew he was a 'he'!"

A hand landed on Seto's shoulder and the brunet turned to look over to Ryou, who was giving him a soft smile. "Congratulations."

Seto allowed himself to return the smile. There was something much more familial about this house now that Ryou was here, the one missing piece of his blood family. And tomorrow he would introduce the other to Katsuya. He only hoped that these two people who were both so important to him would get along.

_**To be continued…**_


End file.
